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I believe this would have been a topic for our unforgettable friend ``Tony `` who was - if I recall - a follower of Tomiki style...In my time on this forum I have never seen a past member referred to so many times as Tony is in various threads...I for one miss his input and would like to see Jun allow him back...( if indeed he wants to come back ? ) ..

This is a video taken in 1983(?) and reflects the level of Tomiki Aikido in that time. Many teachers of that time spend some time in Japan with Kenji Tomiki (died in 1979) and brought their partial knowledge to the USA and Europe. Now after 30yrs these videos looks a little "weird". Those techniques and applications underwent a transformation regarding posture, movement, use of power,....
During the 1st International Tournament in Tenri (1989), I noticed some demo's in this way, but now at the 9th International Tournament in London the way of Merrit Stevens is not anymore demonstrated.

While I never had the opportunity to train under Merrit Stephens Sensei, I do train under his son. I have heard a multitude of great things about him. These videos prove it. Thank you for sharing these videos!

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment."

Michael Pabst. He's still teaching down in Ohio, but it's been an age since I last visited. He practices with leg braces and a crutch and is pretty deadly on the mat... loved wrist and finger locks when I practiced with him. Merritt Sensei came up to NH a few times to do seminars with us and we'd go down to do giant seminars with him in Ohio. Giant as in 100 people on the mat in a gymnasium... maybe my memory exaggerates, but I don't think so. He did a lot of work with law enforcement down there and it was a big organization.

Thank you for posting Merritt Stevens you tube videos. He planted the seeds of my martial arts proggram back in 1974. I dated his daughter Marie (Cookie) And worked with skip, butch and dede too! He had such a big heart and so much to offer. I wish he was around to see me now and how far his infuence took me. A real nice blast from the past! - was 14 I'm 52 now!!!!!!!